4 Strategies for Training Users On New Information Systems and Overcoming Adoption Resistance
Implementing new information systems can be a challenge for organizations, often met with resistance from users. This article explores effective strategies for training users and overcoming adoption hurdles, drawing on insights from industry experts. Discover practical approaches that focus on core workflows, link systems to team goals, gamify learning, and demonstrate tangible benefits through hands-on experience.
- Focus on Core Workflows for Quick Wins
- Link System to Team Goals and Benefits
- Gamify Learning with Role-Specific Challenges
- Demonstrate Tangible Benefits Through Hands-On Experience
Focus on Core Workflows for Quick Wins
The best way I've trained users on a new information system is by keeping it practical and tied to their daily work. Instead of a big generic demo, I focused on the 3 core workflows they used most.
Once people saw how the system made those specific tasks faster and easier, a lot of the initial resistance disappeared. It stopped feeling like another tool to learn and started feeling like something that actually saved them time.
The single strategy that worked best was showing quick wins right away. For example, automating a report that normally took an hour instantly changed the mood in the room.
We also kept a feedback loop open during training so users could share concerns and see adjustments in real time.
User adoption works the best when people quickly experience value and feel like the system is helping them, not being forced on them.
Link System to Team Goals and Benefits
In my practice, staff are more likely to embrace new systems when they can see how they will make the organization successful. I link the system to team goals, highlighting benefits that make it relevant to daily work.
I also stress team development, illustrating how collaboration can be enhanced through collaborative use of the system. Employees will resist change when they feel it is additional work or not applicable. By presenting the adoption as a way to help achieve team goals and improve organizational performance, I encourage employees to realize personal and shared benefits.
The plan that always succeeds is connecting learning to significant consequences. When employees grasp the "why" of the system and how it corresponds to objectives they believe in, resistance fades. Adoption becomes an opportunity to improve rather than something imposed upon them, and the team grows together to achieve greater performance.
Gamify Learning with Role-Specific Challenges
I approach training users on new information systems by making the experience hands-on and highly contextual. For a recent rollout, I designed short, role-specific workshops that demonstrated exactly how the system solved daily pain points, rather than presenting generic features. To address resistance, I paired each user with a "system ambassador" from their team who could provide immediate peer support. The single strategy that proved most effective was creating quick, interactive challenges tied to real tasks—users earned small rewards for completing them correctly. This turned learning into a practical, gamified experience, reducing anxiety and building confidence. Within six weeks, adoption rates jumped from around 40% to 92%, and support tickets for basic usage questions dropped by nearly 60%. The approach worked because users could immediately see the system's value in their workflow while feeling supported, making adoption almost seamless.
Demonstrate Tangible Benefits Through Hands-On Experience
I don't think about it in terms of "training users on a new information system." My business is a trade, and the closest thing I have is teaching my crew how to use a new tool. When I bought a new roof conveyor system to get old shingles off the roof faster, my guys were resistant at first. They were used to tearing off a roof the old way, and they saw this new machine as a complication.
My most successful approach was a simple, hands-on one. I didn't just tell them the new system was better; I let them use it. I said, "Don't just watch it. Get your hands on it. Try it out on this section of the roof." They saw with their own eyes that the new system was faster, safer, and saved them a ton of physical labor. The "strategy" was to show them a direct, tangible benefit.
The resistance to adoption went away immediately. They saw that this "change" was not about a corporate mandate. It was about making their lives easier and their jobs safer. They quickly embraced it because they saw that it was there to help them.
My advice to other business owners is to stop looking for a corporate "solution" to your problems. The best way to "address resistance" is to be a person who is honest with their team. The best way to "gain buy-in" is to show them that a new process is there to help them, not to just change things for the sake of it.
